


Dangerous Territory

by commandershakarian



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-04
Updated: 2015-11-04
Packaged: 2018-04-29 20:25:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5141393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/commandershakarian/pseuds/commandershakarian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tumblr Prompt- Dangerous Territory for Zaeed and Charley</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dangerous Territory

The alcohol thrummed through her veins. Her heart raced in time with the music that played throughout her apartment. The beer in her hand made her head fuzzy and it was nice, not feeling for once. Lately, she’d been feeling too much. The attack on Earth, losing Mordin and Legion… and now Thane.

The tears threatened to breach her eyelids and she shut them tight. The kitten Kolyat had bought for her lay curled up at her feet, the soft purrs coming from its throat doing little to soothe her tumultuous mind. The pearl ring on her finger weighed heavily upon her hand. The person who had put it there…

A sob broke from her and, embarrassed, she buried her face in her pillows. The sound of the party reached her bedroom where she was hidden away. She had gotten drunk, started to feel overwhelmed and decided to sit in her bedroom until the feelings passed.

They didn’t pass.

Biting her lip, she let the tears fall upon her cheeks. They were hot, uncomfortable, but she couldn’t stop them. Thane was gone and she couldn’t help blaming herself.

“Eh, Shepard?”

The gruff voice caught her off guard. She lifted her head from the pillow and stared, puffy-eyed, at the man she almost considered her father. Brimstone hissed at Zaeed before hurrying under the bed, safe from the mercenary.

“Zaeed?” She whispered, her voice hoarse from crying. “What are you-”

“I was sent to check on you. Everyone else is kinda… well, not in the best shape.” Zaeed smirked, trying to lighten the mood. “Alcohol has that effect on most people.”

Charley wiped the tears from her face and tried to pull herself together. She was never vulnerable in front of her friends before and she didn’t like being so now. “I’m fine, Zaeed.”

“Bullshit. You’re not fine, Shepard. Look at ya.” He waved towards her. She could only imagine what he saw. “You lost your husband.”

Charley sighed and pushed her hair out of her face. “You’re going into dangerous territory, Zaeed.”

“I know what I’m fucking doin’, kid. It’s ok to cry. I won’t think less of ya.” Zaeed sat on the edge of the bed before patting her hand. “Uncle Zaeed will keep everyone out if ya need some time alone.”

“I…” She choked on her words, unable to express how grateful she was for Zaeed. He had saved her life so many times and here he was, doing so again.

Zaeed shook his head. “Don’t. You know how much I hate that shit.”

Charley couldn’t stop the small smile that appeared as he left the room, closing the door behind him. She had loss friends, but she still had family. Family that she couldn’t survive this without.


End file.
